Yankees at Pirates

Matt Morris will show good posture tonight.

Adam Sandler will DH and lead off for the Yankees.

Slot-busting

Getting the car repaired this morning, I read in a recent Sports Illustrated - can't find the text online - a piece by Jon Heyman about the Tiger's "slot-busting" draft strategy. Basically, they gamed the league's prohibition on paying "over slot" to scoop up the best talent in the draft. It cost more, but it's still cheaper than signing free agents. The example touted was Rick Porcello. (Biography, recent news.)

Obviously, this is what the Pirates have to do to compete. They can't afford top talent on the free agent market. They can't win championships without top talent. The only strategy that might bring top talent to this team will focus on the draft. There are other things that can be done. They can make smart trades, and they can be the team that best educates its young players. But the draft has to be the heart of it all. They have to get the best players available in every round.

And that means they will have to pay "above slot." Given Coonelly's job before he joined the Pirates, this issue has been, for me, one of the bigger tests for him. None of us believe Littlefield truly rated Moskos above Wieters in pure baseball terms. It appears that he picked Moskos to prove that he can eat shit and like it. It was a suck up move. "Oh yes, Boss, don't worry, there will be no conflict; we will not rock the boat; I don't know why the other 29 teams rate Wieters higher than Moskos; we don't; thank goodness we will avoid the dilemma that would be how to sign Wieters."

All that said, Moskos is also great, and he doesn't need to keep hearing it from the fans that he's not Wieters. But it's plain as the nose on your face that the Pirates need offense, and that they did not need another relief-pitching or even starting-pitching prospect with that pick.

Coonelly and Huntington are doing pretty well, I think, so far. The big test is not going to be the April win-loss record but what they do in the draft. Do they put the team first, or do they put the league first?

The team could also take a lesson from the Steelers: you want to be the team that young players most admire for draft prowess. Getting drafted by the Pirates should be a distinction, and not a curse or insult. Ask Danny Moskos. Since they are not winning games at the big-league level, all the Pirates can do to remedy their loathsome reputation with young players is pay them better than other teams -- and become known as the team that stops at nothing to get the best young players. Then Pittsburgh may not be the place to win a championship next year, but it would be one of the best places to go right out of the draft.

If not hiring players represented by Scott Boras is somehow good for the Pirates, then I would love to hear what Pirate-first arguments support that position.

Pirates at Reds

Game at 1. Paul Maholm and Freddy Sanchez will start.

Blue Jays at Pirates

For St. Patrick's Day, the Pirates will wear green capes in today's 1pm game.

Snell paid

Congratulations to the guy. I'm glad he'll be here for awhile. Here's hoping he keeps pitching so well for all them years.

Paul Meyer reports for the Post-Gazette that he'll make $8M and a lot more if the Pirates pick up the 2011 and 2012 option years. I think this is a good deal for both sides. It's not too often where it seems that both the player and the team are doing the smart thing at the same time.

Raise your Dogfish Head to the pride of Delaware. All hail Ian Snell!

Red Sox at Pirates

Tom Gorzelanny will start for the good guys.

Pirates at Blue Jays

Ian Snell will throw hard and not show weird stuff at one.

Reds, Pirates, Twins

Split-squad games around 1.

Pirates at Yankees

Billy Crystal will play today for the Yankees. Game at 1:15pm.

Pirates at Blue Jays

1 o'clock Grapefruit league game.

Thoughts on Snell and Pearce

No Grapefruit league game today, it looks to me, from the MLB.com scoreboard.

Dejan Kovacevic Paul Meyer reported some news for the Post-Gazette. The roster cuts are non-surprising.

The same synopsis mentions that Snell was renewed (made 408K last year, probably renewed at what, 450K?). It also notes that the Pirates have offered him a long-term deal. Why Snell would play for 400-450K now and decline a long term deal, which surely would run in the millions, is beyond me. Agents and players have much greater risk tolerance for this sort of thing than I would. The idea that Snell would make more money by living year to year strikes me as foolhardy. If you have a chance to get a big paycheck, take it. The odds that a player will stay healthy through his arbitration years for an even bigger contract are longer than most would think.

I also think it might be in the Pirates' best interest for Snell not to sign a long-term deal. Guys have a tendency to get fat once they are set for life. That's only an added risk and it surely outweighs the risks involved only with him not signing the deal, e.g., the risk that Snell would destroy himself by, say, hiding an injury in the hopes of finishing the season with a great many innings and a stronger arbitration case.

I can imagine there's all kinds of back-and-forth and poker playing and whatnot between the team and Ian Snell, but if I'm Snell I take their best long-term offer before the season starts. And then I get to work adjusting my life to such a higher salary. It won't be so easy to stay sharp mentally.

One more thing: I'd want to get paid in euros.

In other news, Pearce was told to learn the outfield. Adam LaRoche is a "fixture," as Kovacevic writes, and that makes a lot of sense. With Bay perpetually gimpy and non-healing the last year or two, and with Nady likely to command some value in trade, anyone who wants to see Pearce in the big leagues should be nodding their head about this decision. It also further guarantees that Pearce will not make the team out of spring training (barring injury). You can't learn a new position as a pinch-hitter starting twice a week.

Phillies at Pirates

Ian Snell will pitch at 1pm.

And there will be a lot of roster cuts today.

Reds and Pirates

Home and away today: two split-squad games, at one and seven pm, at Ed Smith Stadium and later at McKechnie Field.

Blue Jays at Pirates

Game on. Tommy G. pitching.

Now batting fifth

Repoz of BBTF fame found this gem in a Coonelly chat at MLB.com:

signdante: How many home runs will the "change in atmosphere" hit this season? And will it be suitable protection for Jason Bay in the middle of the lineup?

Coonelly: signdante, I detect some sarcasm in your question. My guess is that "the change in atmosphere" will not hit any home runs this year. We are hoping, however, that Adam LaRoche, Xavier Nady and others will provide Jason with some protection this year. The change in atmosphere, which you apparently mock, will be seen by all of our fans who enjoy baseball at PNC Park, and I believe will contribute to far greater success in 2008 and beyond.

More and more I am looking forward to this season. Also I hope the climate change brings sunnier, warmer April weather.

Josh Wilson can slide

He flashes impressive technique for Peter Diana, PG photographer. In Kovacevic's attached report, he runs down how the roster is shaking out.

Tigers at Pirates

Game at one.

Pirates at Red Sox

Preview the World Series at 1.

Pirates at Phillies

Scrimmage at one.

Rays at Pirates, and thoughts on Pearce

Another grapefruit battle today at 1.

Dejan Kovacevic's report on Steve Pearce had me doing some math in my head. Pearce appears to be blocked behind LaRoche and Nady, but the 1B and RF positions will demand about 1400 plate appeances' worth of playing time. Nady has averaged 500 PA the last two years; LaRoche, 600. Assuming they turn in average years, they leave 300 PA open for Pearce. The DH in interleage adds another 40. Jason Bay will not play for all 700 PA occupied by the left-fielder; assuming Nady and not Morgan/McLouth covers left in his absence, especially on the road, then another 50, at least, will fall to the available best-hitting 1B/RF. And every year the best bats on the bench collect about 200 PA pinch-hitting, though I would not expect Pearce to see much of this action given the plan to keep wherever (AAA or MLB) he can play full time.

To come to the point, even if Bay, Nady, and LaRoche avoid extensive down-time to a serious injury, there's still an easy 350-400 PA for Pearce to do something, some time, of significance. This is a healthy chunk of action for a young guy.

So he has a clear opportunity in 2008, without a trade or injury. He has to stay healthy. If he starts the season at Indy, he has to believe that "any day now" he could be flying to join the team to play full time. He has to keep his bags packed, and he to avoid the kind of mental funk that would discourage the Pirates from calling on him at any one particular moment. He can't sulk at Indy and open the year with 30 strikeouts in 95 at-bats.

If any player blocks him, I think it would be Doug Mientkiewicz. If management falls in love with the guy, they might hesitate to recall Pearce if LaRoche or Nady suffer some kind of 15-day boo-boo. 15 days of full-time play is about 50 PA or 15% - a big chunk - of Pearce's easy 350. This is a scenario that I would very much expect from the old regime. Whether or not the new bosses will make similar decisions, we can only guess.

I understand that the Pirates are not going to recall and demote Pearce seven times over the course of the season, and I know that the scenario I just described is highly hypothetical and not at all likely to happen just as I describe. But experience anticipating playing time has taught me that this kind of math makes decent predictions and establishes reasonable expectations.

Pirates at Reds

Grapefruit league action today at 1.

Phillies at Pirates

More grapefruit today at 1.

Play ball

Game on. The Phillies just touched Bullington for five in the third.

RIP Myron Cope

Sad day.

Hmm-ha.

Last week of February

This baseball should get more interesting soon.

Pirates will face off against the dread Lancers on Wednesday. I'm not sure if they are playing the team in the top picture or the team in the bottom picture. We'll know soon enough.

Then they will play the Phillies on Thursday.

True Piracy

Dejan Kovacevic describes the awesome speechifying of Steve Blass.

Byung-Hyun Kim

The Pirates continue their quest for that diversity of pitching styles and arm slot by signing Kim. Here's the PG report.

He used to be a great sleeper. Literally--when he was a rookie, he slept all the time.

Pirates 1, Braves 0

Adam LaRoche puts one on the scoreboard.

First full squad workout today. That and other synapses in Dejan Kovacevic's paper there I just linked.

Doumit

Dejan Kovacevic notes he continues to wear the tools of ignorance.

Good talker

Dejan Kovacevic reports that Mientkiewicz is a good talker.

The report also notes that he named his son Steel--after John Russell's son.

Steel is pretty cool name.

That's a shot of instant badass for any little boy.

Hope

John Perrotto finds hope.

We will evaluate

In this Dejan Kovacevic building blocks column, Neal Huntington explains how he is a sober, reasonable person. Not a lot to get out of this except, I guess, that the new bosses talk a good game, at the very least.

There was a time when I thought Littlefield would work out and we know how that ended.

Somewhere in there he talks about the analogy of the duck. What does that mean? At first I thought he was referencing the blind men and the elephant, where each mistakes the one part visible to him as the whole. But I thought about "if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck." In that context he appears to be saying, "if we look like a team that did nothing . . . "

I am also glad to learn that the new GM sleeps well at night. Sleep is really important, and I have a hard time respecting people who brag about how little sleep they get as though it's evidence they work really hard and are good at their jobs.

Top ten things

Dejan Kovacevic makes a list.

I'll add this: odds are, someone will get maimed, pull up lame, sleep on his shoulder wrong, blow out an elbow, or do something to embarrass himself and the team. Expecting this will not make it happen, so it's not like I'm jinxing anyone.

The Bucs look one way on paper right now, but I think we can guess that some weird things will happen before the end of March.

What's your guess?

Reds sign Craig Wilson

Your pepsi is safe.

Bartolo

Dejan Kovacevic reports the Pirates are looking at damaged-goods Bartolo Colon.

This part caught my eye:

"For two innings, he looked great," one scout said yesterday from the Dominican. "There wasn't much after that, but you're still talking about Bartolo Colon here. This is someone who knows how to pitch."

Two great innings? OK.

It sounds to me like Colon could take care of the 7th and 8th innings for some team. If we didn't have a ton of guys on the list for bullpen tryouts, I'd think the Pirates might be wise to ride in there and sign Bartolo. (Or can we say ... Bartolo!)

Burnett clears waivers

PG reports.

Pirates sign Freddy

Dejan Kovacevic had details.

I have Sean Burnett pencilled in for a few try-outs in the set-up role, so here's hoping he clears waivers.

Super Bowl whatever

It's hard for me to get excited about this one. And no, I don't like commercials. That's about the lamest reason, in my opinion, for watching the Super Bowl.

So I may sit this one out. If we turn on the television, I know Rowdy Jr., who's now all of three, would much rather watch reruns of Batman Beyond. Or maybe I'll put on Game 7 of the 1979 World Series.

Whatever you do, enjoy the day.

Top prospects

Keith Law ranks one Pirate player in the top 75 prospects. Walker and Lincoln are thrown in at the end, and both have pessimistic short descriptions.

Stargell stories

Last Monday, David Mooney wrote up some Stargell stories after covering the Pirates' fantasy camp for the Brandenton Herald.

More games on the TV

The Tribune-Review reports that Fox Sports Network Pittsburgh will televise 125 regular-season games this year.

Bullpen theory

In today's Q & A Dejan Kovacevic summarizes what he hears from the new management on assembling a bullpen.

Huntington has told me time and again that all the studies he has seen or performed himself show that there is "no magic formula" in trying to predict the performance of relievers from one year to the next. Moreover, he will add, no one can really figure out why, even with all the modern advances in baseball methodology, from analytical to statistically to medical.

...

At the same time, their approach to this was not a simple throw-it-against-the-wall variety. The pitchers they signed, they think, offer different styles, different arm slots and more power than the Pirates have had in the past, and they are hoping - yes, hoping - that a handful of them pan out with some help from the new coaching staff.

I advocated the throw-it-against-the-wall approach, but I did so knowing that I'm not someone who's qualified to run a baseball team. I admire the get-one-of-each and throw-them-against-the-wall approach of the professionals.

My hunch is that, if everyone expects the bullpen to be really truly awful, they will turn out OK. As Huntington says, nobody knows, so this hunch is pretty worthless.

Catchers

Johnny Estrada expressed reluctance to sign with Pittsburgh, Dejan Kovacevic reports.

I also would not want to compete for playing time with Ronny Paulino.

The psyche is a delicate flower

In today's Q&A, Dejan Kovacevic writes about the uncertain bullpen. Here he describes part of the risk involved:

There might be only three holes, actually, if Franquelis Osoria lives up to the team's expectations this spring, but three is still an awful lot. It is a risk not only for the Pirates' ability to be competitive in 2008 but also, and more important, to damaging the psyches of its many young starters. What will happen if Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, Paul Maholm and Zach Duke repeatedly watching seventh-inning leads vanish?

What will happen? The Pirates will lose a bunch of games.

And I disagree with the idea that the team has to do something to stave off a potential threat to the potentially delicate psyches of young starters. First of all, if the psyche of a young starter is that fragile, he's not going to make it no matter what you do with the bullpen.

Second, I think this kind of thinking establishes bad expectations for the starters. Their job is to pitch as well as they can. There should not be this idea floating around that it's expected that any one of these guys will not pitch well if the bullpen blew a lead for him after his last turn. The failures of one set of players can never be something that is commonly identified as a worthy or even likely excuse for failure by another set of players. The quality of the bullpen has no effect on the quality of the start, and we should not talk like it does.

There is, however, one way that a weak bullpen threatens the starters. If the manager is reluctant to remove someone because he has little faith in the setup options, then there may be a risk to the health of the starter. But this is easily avoided with reasonably strict adherence to pitch counts or some other, smarter pre-established workload expectation.

And I've seen a lot of mediocre to bad pitchers who can put up good statistics - be effective - for months at a time. It's not that hard. Get the defense ready, throw the ball where they can't hit it too hard, try to get three outs. Even a mediocre lefty can be pretty tough on some good hitters.

The bullpen is not going to be terribly good, but I don't see how this is a grave problem for the starters or the closer provided that the manager is not allowed to slag all the decent arms to accomplish immediate short-term goals.

We will cohere

More building blocks from Dejan Kovacevic at the Post-Gazette.

Part of the new plan: every summer the Pirates will send six pitchers to Dr. James Andrews.

Careless

Dejan Kovacevic reports that the current Pirates don't care much about the future of the organization.

Hey, I think we already knew that.

He wonders how this will affect their play. Again, I think we already know the answer to this question.

I've done it my whole life and believe I will do it again

Dejan Kovacevic reports the grilling fans laid on management. Frank Coonelly comes across like a real badass.

I have not complained about these guys not spending money so far. I want to believe these guys. I have some confidence in them. It should not be that hard. But I am concerned that all this talk about saving the money for later is just bull.

We'll see.

New guys

Looking at the 40-man roster and the list of NRIs, I see a bunch of names that aren't so familiar with the Pirate uniform:

Olivo Astacio
Jimmy Barthmaier
Ronald Belisario
Phil Dumatrait
Kevin Thompson
T.J. Beam
Adam Bernero
Hector Carrasco
Elmer Dessens
Casey Fossum
Mike Thompson
Jaret Wright
Raul Chavez
Michel Hernandez
Miguel Perez
Jorge Velandia
Jose Macias

Odds are that some of these people will get some PT this year. Which one(s) do you think will perform well enough, or be in the right place at the right time enough, to get some big-league playing time?

How to spend money wisely

Dejan Kovacevic links today to his older story about Mickey White.

If it only takes $0.25M to sign the likes of Ian Snell and Nate McLouth at the end of the draft -- that was fifth-round pick money for 20-something rounders -- obviously that's a place where the Pirates could gain an advantage on the higher-payroll teams. When you consider that a "proven veteran" costs about $8.0M per year to contribute mediocrity and stifle the promotions of younger players promising a potentially greater upside, it makes no sense NOT to spend like a drunken sailor on draft day.

The Pirates have been taking one for the team on draft day for most of our recent memory. They've been suckers, holding down costs for the Yankees and Red Sox.

The draft is one place where we can really see the team's true priorities.

New scouting director

Dejan Kovacevic writes a lot about Greg Smith, the Pirates' new scouting director, and what all he says about what all to do with what all the picks the Pirates are going to have.

Sounds good to me, but I think I will reserve judgment until I see some results. Also I'm curious how WTM would translate all that scouting drafting talk.

Kirk Alyn

Over the long weekend, I spent some hours watching the 1948 Superman serials with five-year-old daughter Rowdietta.

She was skeptical at first. When she saw it was not animated, her response was: "Oh, you mean this is not Superman, but people dressed up pretending to be Superman?" Then she was drawn in. She's a huge fan, this week at least, and she looks forward to seeing the final five episodes tonight and tomorrow.

I experienced a weird cognitive dissonance watching Kirk Alyn prance into the bushes to don his Superman longjohns. There was something about his appearance that puzzled me.

Can you see where I'm going with this?

Weird, huh?

El Toro Academy

The Post-Gazette has details of the plans and tomorrow's ground-breaking.

Bones predicted the Pirates might find a way to screw this up, and he suggested they might, for example, build the academy on top of cursed ancient burial grounds, Poltergeist-style. Ever since, I've had this recurring nightmare with Spanish-speaking zombies clawing their way, mid-game, out of right field.

I see nothing in the Post-Gazette article to put these fears to rest. Perhaps one of the crack reporters for the PG can look into it. A question like this would get the investigation started: "Excuse me, Mr. Nutting, but have the Pirates taken every due diligence to ensure they are not building this academy on a cursed ancient burial ground?"

AFC & NFC Championship

Pats & Bolts, Giants & Packers.

rest in peace Ernie Holmes

PG obituary here.

Pirates visit middle school

John Perrotto covers the seventh-grade assembly in Beaver Falls.

Frodo to break out

Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus likes what he sees in Nate McLouth.

Curiously, the article says nothing about Romulo!.

Ho hum

So there's little to no energy among the fans for expecting change in 2008. There's no enthusiasm and not much optimism.

Why is this? Changing management is a plus, I think everyone regards that as a good sign. The lack of free agent signings probably, in my opinion, has not much to do with it. Unless the Pirates acquire a top player, any free agent will be greeted with suspicion. We have a lot of experience with the bargain bin, and it has not been much good.

I think the reason the fans are so cold on the team is this. The Pirates are returning the same cast of characters. And the bloom is off the rose for these guys.

Running down the roster, mainly I see a collection of disappointments.

Adam LaRoche, for example, was one cause for optimism a year ago. But his 2007 was a total bust. He got it together and salvaged his stats in the second half, but that was too little, too late. You don't get much credit for being a decent player on a team with a horrible record.

Jason Bay was awful in 2007. If we once expected Bay to be good year after year, we got a rude shock in 2007. He could turn it around, but I don't think too many people expect a return to 2006 form.

Jack Wilson, some time ago, showed promise, but he too was a bust in 2007. He's an overpaid mediocrity. The Pirates can't even trade him. Like LaRoche, he came on strong at the end and salvaged his numbers. But again it's like closing the barn door after all the animals have left.

Zach Duke and Paul Maholm are now proven mediocrities.

Ronny Paulino was a ball-dropping slug.

Matt Morris pitched horribly.

Bullington, Burnett, and Van Benschoten continue to contribute nothing. They can't even do work in the bullpen.

Ryan Doumit can't stay healthy.

Freddy Sanchez appears to make no difference in the win column.

Jose Bautista improved but he does not look like he's about to break out and carry the team on his shoulders to 82 wins. It's hard to get excited about his upside.

Chris Duffy was an embarrassment, again.

There's not much in the way of good players on this roster. We had high hopes for some of these guys, and they did not deliver. In some cases, those high hopes may have been unreasonable. I'm not sure why I ever thought, for example, Jack Wilson could become a perennial All Star. But in other cases, those high hopes were reasonable. We may be gullible and generous, but we are not too stupid.

So while there may be good reason to be excited about Gorzelanny, Snell, Capps, Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan, Romulo!, Kuwata, Dessens, and Chris Gomez, I'm not feeling it. And don't think too many other fans are.

The bottom line is this: these players cannot win ballgames. So why get excited?

Only the tyranny of habit has me keeping half an eye on this team right now.

Offseason exercises

There are a few things I want to do before the spring training begins. One is the usual playing time estimates, which should be pretty straightfoward given that the roster has not changed so much. This year I'd also like to do some for the pitchers. This will be trickier but I ought to be able to count bodies and compare the roster to previous seasons to come up with an estimate of how many innings the team appears to expect from each arm.

Another thing I'd like to do is delve into the more recent stats. The 2006 and 2007 seasons were so discouraging, I've barely studied the actual numbers from those seasons. And there is a lot more information available to us these days. One set of stuff is this pitch f/x data. This morning I learned from primer that Mike Fast has written a primer for MVN. I also saw that Dan Szymborski published his 2008 ZiPs last October.

Redbeard and Russell

Two items of note in the Post-Gazette today.

One, the Pirates have approached Adam LaRoche about a deal that covers his arbitration years plus one or two more. With all the first-base types on the team, it is interesting that they are ready to sign up LaRoche for awhile. What are they going to do with Pearce? I thought he played well enough to warrant a clear path to 2008 playing time. Maybe no?

It could mean the Pirates regard LaRoche as a fixture, or it could mean that they believe he will be more tradeable if he came with a fixed price tag. I'm not sure what it means. I guess that's what makes it interesting.

In other Dejan Kovacevic news, it looks like Russell will do his managerial duty of furnishing us with amusing quotes. If Mac's were profanity-laden, and Tracy's were nonsensical, Russell's look to be candid, perhaps. We will see.

Goose Gossage as a Pirate

I vividly remember the Pirates losing Goose Gossage, now a Hall of Famer, to the Yankees for something like $2.5 million dollars.

Free agency was something everyone was nervous about; it was a new thing to baseball. Old farts complained that the family-like continuity of ballclubs was destroyed by the way a dozen or more of the games' best players switched uniforms in the offseason.

The story of free agency in late 1977 will sound familiar thirty years later. The Yankees had just lost Mike Torrez, another 1977 free agent, to the Red Sox. The Red Sox gave Torrez a lot of money. The Yankees were pissed. So they went out and grabbed Gossage and paid him even more money. Torrez was a starter and Gossage was a closer. And the Yankees already had Sparky Lyle, who was also good at finishing games.

The next spring, there was a big picture of Gossage for an article on free agency in one of the annual magazines--it may have been Street & Smith's. I dunno for sure--something like that, however. It had this large picture of Gossage, as a Pirate, throwing hard, shot from a batter's point of view. I was a huge fan of those magazines until the internet arrived with Baseball Reference.

I spent a lot of time looking at that picture throughout the 1978 season. I would get the magazine out and consult the rosters when watching baseball on television. I also read and re-read the preseason predictions as I followed the season by reading at least the standings every day in the newspaper. I can still see that picture of Gossage in my memory.

Don't get me wrong: I was not haunted or all broken up about the loss of the Goose. It's just funny how you remember some things so much more vividly than others.

And yes, I was bummed that the Pirates lost Gossage. And maybe all the free-agency grousing had some role in the Pirates' decision to come together as "family."

Prospects earn lousy grades

John Sickels uses the word "horrible" to describe the Pirates' collection of minor-league talent.

No Dave Parkers on that list.

Dave Parker

Rob Biertempfel takes up Dave Parker's case for the Hall in the Trib.

I don't care much for the Hall of Fame talk; there's too much sanctimonious argumentation. It puts me off. And the whole honor is blown out of proportion. It's not the Congressional Medal of Honor. People should not make such a big deal out of it.

If I had a vote, I would vote carefully but quickly. And I would only concern myself with on-field performance. The fact that Parker did some cocaine and broke some laws does not make him so much less a player. The Hall of Fame is full of scumbags. It's for ballplayers, and not only for Sunday School teachers. I am open to the idea that we should embrace the whole diversity of fools, crooks, jackasses, and boy scouts who worked so hard on their playing career. Everybody has their faults and warts; let's not pretend otherwise.

Anyway, (he said, getting off his high horse,) I've been watching the 1979 World Series over the holiday break. I had forgotten what a tremendous player the Pirates had in Dave Parker. The man was a beast. There was nothing he could not do. He played like Superman. It has been a long, long time since I have seen someone play at that level in a Pirates uniform.

You should watch the tapes again if you get the chance. The recent signings of Kuwata and Dessens bring tremendous excitement for the middle winter, but the average Pirate fan may need more than that until Ronny Ballgame opens minicamp.

NFL Wild Card Playoff: Jaguars at Steelers

Game on at 8pm.

Elmer and Masumi

Dejan Kovacevic reports that Elmer Dessens and Masumi Kuwata have agreed to terms.

This should put a stop to all that fretting about the bullpen.

Beer prices even more up

Our ongoing coverage of the 2008 beer-price crisis continues as we are proud to link to this fine work from Jonathan Silver of the PG.

If I am reading that correctly, the price of beer at the upcoming Steelers game will be so high, they cannot print it.

Ronny 1, Veteranosity 0

Morris and Marte have chosen not to attend voluntary minicamp, Dejan Kovacevic reports. Ronny Ballgame, consummate professional, has elected to attend.

Whoopage

The results are in for the 2007 HW NFL Pick 'em Pool. The HW winner went a gaudy Pigskin-best .582 (148-106) against-the-spread and has humbly donated the Grand Prize to second place finisher nancychic (.558).

Beer inflation

The price of beer, like a lot of things, will jump up in 2008. Joe Napsha reported on the impact of the hops crisis on the Straub beer.

These are hard times ahead. This beer price increase, it's gonna suck.

Left tackle

Ouch. Max Starks got a bad owie, Ed Bouchette reports, and is done for the season.

J'ville at Pittsburgh is a pick 'em today, which surprises me. I know the Steelers have not been impressive, and I know the Jags seem to have the Steelers' number, but still I was surprised to the Steelers less than a field-goal favorite.

NFL week 17: Steelers at Ravens

Steelers trail 7-0 early in the first quarter as Batch drives down downfield.

Gimme a P

A number of interesting bits in Dejan Kovacevic's notebook. Half-angry Pirate guy is making fewer appearances in the team literature.

Nate McLouth made the most of his 2007 playing time.

I'm up now watching Game 1 of the 1979 World Series. The Bucs are down 5-1. Ballplayers were all about tight pants, spectacles, and mustaches in 1979. They had some adorable wives. And Dave Parker was the highest-paid player in all baseball.

Crimps galore

Honus the Alpaca was sold this year to Ozark Mountain Alpacas, who know him and boast that he's ready and willing, for a $2500 stud fee. The camelid offers "the complete package," his new owners remind us. He demonstrates "what everyone is looking for in a breeding male . . . density, fineness, consistency in crimp, good bone density and strength, and the presence that calls attention to him." And there's more. He's also won another prize since our last update.

Way to go, Honus!

New management, old owners, and other stuff

There has not been much new reading material featuring a fresh angle on the longstanding problem that's been the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's been this way for a while, actually. The question of whether or not the new management can accomplish much under the same-old ownership group is going to take a year or more to sift.

It does look, however, like they are once again making the choice to not spend money this off-season. Given the available talent, it may or may not be a wise decision. I find it hard to get excited about the possible return of Shawn Chacon. I suppose it would be good for one set of running jokes. But like a lot of Pirate fans, I could use some new running jokes. The old ones, born of frustration and humiliation, are losing the bright, shiny, amusing luster they once had.

Both Bob Smizik's chat and Dejan Kovacevic's Q & A repeat what appears to be the developing consensus: the change in management means little as ownership continues to take what must be substantial profits. And it may be 2009 before we have enough data to firmly believe these.

In other news, Jose Castillo is a worthless bum. Good riddance I say. Whether or not he ever plays well for another team reflects only on Jose Castillo. The Pirates gave him plenty of opportunity and, from what I could gather, sufficiently sound advice for self-improvement.

And no, the Steelers should not be resting people or going into the game with a half-assed plan that compromises the desire to win with some desire to curl into a fetal position and not get hurt. If players are too hurt to play, they obviously should not play. But the healthy players should all be in there. The Steelers have looked pretty mediocre in the second half, and they need to practice winning games before the playoffs begin.

Jose Castillo a Marlin

Joe Capozzi reports for some Florida paper.

This obviously leaves a big, powerful-looking big hole in the Pirates' JV infield.

Ho ho ho

Merry Christmas! May Santa fill your stocking with Dogfish Head.

NFL week 16

Any games worth watching this afternoon?

Kip

Kip Wells will make $3.1M with up to $1.5M in bonus money to pitch for the Rockies.

It seems to me like this is a lot of money for his services.

Willie Parker breaks leg

Steelers will ride the Dump Truck into the playoffs.

NFL week 16: Steelers at Rams

Game tonight. This one will not be easy.

Rainbow warrior

At the Dandy House this morning, everyone was a-buzz with the news that the Pirates re-signed Masumi Kuwata.

The same article claims that the Pirates still need arms for the bullpen.

Catcher talk

Dejan Kovacevic explains the Pirates will bid on Johnny Estrada.

There's a lot of talk in that article about his hitting, but I want to know if he can catch the ball. For example, if someone throws the ball from the outfield to Johnny Estrada, while guys are running around the bases, will Estrada catch the ball? Also, there are other times when the catcher needs to catch the ball. If Estrada won't catch the ball, I don't see how he could be an upgrade over Ronny Ballgame.

I also wonder if Estrada is adept at reading signs communicated from the dugout. Because while I'd prefer to see him start (if he will catch the ball), there's no sense abandoning the advantage of Ronny's Paul Lo Duca-like feel for things that instantaneously pop up during an at-bat and his definitive understanding of how to carry out an at-bat. So if Estrada is good with Paulino calling the game from the dugout, things could work out--so long, of course, as Ronny could keep that feel for the at-bat while not behind the plate trying to catch the ball.

On one hand, I could see how it would be hard to focus and get a feel for things popping up if you are in the dugout. On the other hand, I could see how it might free the mind from distractions if you are not trying to catch the ball. So it would be an experiment.

NFL week 15: Jaguars at Steelers

Game on at one.

Steroids report day

Happy performance-enhancing drugs day.

Here's a thread to talk about the needles in the ass.

Pirates' most glaring need thread

Here's a thread to keep the conversation going about the Pirates' most glaring need (must score more runs). Here we can also share whatever we got in terms of trade-type, FA-type, or waiver-wire-type brainstorms and gossip.

Bullpen smullpen

Dejan Kovacevic reports not a lot of worry about the 2008 bullpen.

I'm of the opinion that you line up five or seven guys who could start right away. Put four on the big-league club. The rest go to Indy, take turns, and wait. Then you get six to eight guys who may not have the repertoire or health to start. You put a few of these guys on the club as long relievers, and you put a few guys on the club as set-up men or late-inning people. The one-to-three out specialists become your closers. The manager more or less rides the hot hand until some performance-determined hierarchy emerges. Some schmucks have all the luck; some studs have all the pain. There's no predicting that the Pirates cannot get good late-inning performance from some one to three of Burnett, JVB, Bullington, Osoria, Bayliss, Romulo!, Perez, Taubenheim, Barthmaier, and Dumatrait.

So if I ran the circus, I'd trade Grabow and Marte for position-player prospects. The young starters might whine about there being "no one" to preserve their Ws. To that kind of whining, I would scowl. I would remind them that they could get more outs from their 110 pitches. They have to become more efficient if they want to get better anyway.

The distinguished closer and set-up ranks are full of one-pitch bulldogs and failed or fragile starters. The current roster of no-name pitchers may not inspire confident bullpen construction, but if you give these guys the opportunity, I would trust that a few of them will turn in solid work.

NFL week 14: Steelers at Patriots

The Steelers should take Brady out back and really jump him. That's what it's about. This guy needs to know what it is to play the game wrong and how important it is to get sacked a lot. It's not going to be a slack deal. It won't be tolerated. But it will be handled in a way to try to get the best possible results out of Najeh because he's a good player. (post inspired by John Russell via Dejan).

Torres considers retirement

Sully might rather retire than move his family to Milwaukee, reports Dejan Kovacevic.

Torres traded

Sully traded to the Brewers for right-handed relievers Marino Salas and Kevin Roberts, Dejan reports. No word yet on whether Salas and Roberts hit the weight room every day, or every other day.

Winter meeting notes

Dejan Kovacevic has a bunch of them.

It sounds like the Indians came to question Ronny Ballgame's health, which I find incredible. I wonder if the Pirates sufficiently emphasized his ability to call games.

My favorite part of today's Kovacevic is the correction issued by Salomon Torres. It's buried, scroll to the bottom to find it.

Paulino deal in the works

Dejan Kovacevic reports this morning that late last night, the Indians and the Pirates resumed talks, perhaps in response to the Cabrera trade, centering on Ronny Ballgame.

The Indians want him, it appears, and for outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, catcher Kelly Shoppach, and perhaps Cliff Lee, the Indians will get Ronny Paulino. The deal also hinges on the Pirates including Jason Bay.

Big-time trade news

Nate McLouth may or may not be the "it" boy of the offseason trade conversations.

I wouldn't want Jason Bay if I was the Cleveland Indians. His knees are all crickety and he has that nasty Canadian attitude. No, I'd leave him in the Burgh. Nothing to see here ...

BP interviews Neal Huntington

Not sure I learned much from this interview, so maybe you guys can translate the significant parts for me.

NFL week 13: Bengals at Steelers

The 4-7 Bengals come to town for another prime-time Steeler appearance.

Third base no problem

Dejan Kovacevic reports that Neal Huntington is high on Jose Bautista.

I'd have the same attitude. There are more urgent problems for sure.

The same report describes Ronny Paulino as insufficiently hungry. I'm not sure that's a good message to send. What is it--is he out of shape, physically and mentally, or does he need to be more hungry?

There are better metaphors to improve a work ethic. I wouldn't tell the slow-moving, apathetic catcher to work on his "hunger."

Cards sign Izturis

The St. Louis Dispatch reports that it is Izturis who will bat ninth for La Russa. This makes it more doubtful that the Pirates will trade Jack Wilson.

The Kuwata signing must have forced St. Louis's hand. With the Japanese master coming to Altoona or Indy, Izturis was the only Dandy House veteran on the market.

Kuwata returns

Dejan Kovacevic reports:

Reliever Masumi Kuwata, who made 19 appearances for the Pirates last year and considered retirement after posting a 9.43 ERA, has informed general manager Neal Huntington he would like to return to the team next season. Kuwata is flying from Japan to the United States for a medical exam early next week. He is willing to take a one-year, minor-league contract, as he did last season.

Is there a Dandy House in Indy?

Cardinals interested in Jack Wilson

Joe Strauss reports for the St. Louis Dispatch.

Would La Russa bat him ninth?

Kendall to Brewers

Well, there goes our chance to contend in the NL Central.

I wonder if Jason still practices that play. You know, the one that Ronny Paulino did not practice in all of 2007. Does Kendall have to practice that play?

Is that why he gets the big bucks?

NFL week 12

The 0-10 Miami Dolphins are in town.

Fridge is full of Lagunitas IPA. I am ready for kickoff.

Starting from scratch

Dejan Kovacevic is back and he writes about potentially "outrageous" prices for Bay or Wilson in trade.

He also remarks that a Bay or a Wilson trade would not be popular with the fans. He knows better than me. Still, I doubt it. There aren't too many fans left, so I guess he could ask for a show of hands. That would answer the question pretty decisively--assuming he can get the attention of all five fans.

Whatever happens, too, cannot be called a "rebuilding." When is the last time the team was "built"? I would say they are not rebuilding but starting from scratch.

Kovacevic also notes that the Pirates might send Castillo after Phelps.